Quality of Shinwa swords?


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Quality of Shinwa swords?

by Scott Zimmerman
(Minnesota)

QUESTION: I have seen Shinwa katanas on several online stores. They sell for $159.00 to $279.00. They claim to be fully functional (high carbon steel, tempered, etc.). I have seen them in enough places that I am surprised that I can't find any mention of them, good or bad, on this site. Have they been overlooked, or are they just not worth mentioning?

ANSWER: The 'Bud-K' swords... ;-)

You pretty much hit the nail on the head there. Compared to what else is available on the market in this price range, they really aren't worth a second look...

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Quality of Shinwa swords?

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May 03, 2012

New To Shinwa Swords NEW
by: Cloud

I Come Across a Shinwa Sword a few days ago and Iv always want at least one real sword even if it may stay in the sheath the time im using it, ill only use it in a in danger situation, but it Are they good to use? wouldnt mind making my own sword,a sword aint as strong if not crafted by user, basicly going back to a man put heart and soul into sword but my question still stands

Are they good to use?

May 03, 2012

New To Shinwa Swords NEW
by: Anonymous

I Come Across a Shinwa Sword a few days ago and Iv always want at least one real sword even if it may stay in the sheath the time im using it, ill only use it in a in danger situation, but it Are they good to use? wouldnt mind making my own sword,a sword aint as strong if not crafted by user, basicly going back to a man put heart and soul into sword but my question still stands

Are they good to use?

Mar 06, 2012

SWORD VS NEW
by: Anonymous

I HAVE A CHEAP $20-$30 NINJA STYLE SWORD THAT IS CRUDELY STAMPED CHINA ON ONE SIDE AND STAINLESS ON THE OTHER. I KNOW ITS CHEAP BUT MY FRIEND SHARPENED IT WITH A DIAMOND PADDLE AND ITS SCARY SHARP NOW. IT FEELS AS SHARP AS A SHINWA I SAW FOR SALE AT A USED STORE FOR $100. I PAID $8 OR $12 FOR MINE AND BET IT CAN TAKE OFF A HEAD! I HAVE ONLY HAD ONE FORMAL SWORD LESSON BUT PRACTICED QUITE A LOT AT ONE TIME USING A BROKEN BROOM HANDLE CUT DOWN AND THE TIP BEVELLED. THAT MAY SOUND SILLY BUT IF A NOVICE PRACTICES WITH AN EDGED SWORD THE CUT MAIM OR KILL SOMEONE WATCHING OR THEMSELVES. I UNDERSTAND THERE ARE COMBAT AND DECORATION SWORDS, AND ADMIRE THE CRAFTMANSHIP, HOWEVER GETTING INTO A SWORD SEEMS VERY RISKY EVEN FOR SOMEONE WHO IS REASONABLY PROFICIENT! MY POINT IS THIS,... SURE YOU COULD USE A SWORD IN SELF DEFENSE IF YOU HAD TO, BUT THIS SOCIETY IS NOT ONE OF HONOR,...ANYMORE AND THUGS HAVE GUNS AND DO NOT FIGHT 1 ON 1! ONE ROUND FROM A .45 HAS THE KNOCK DOWN POWER OF A 90 MPH BRICK (PER THE US ARMY)IT WAS DEVELOPED TO TAKE DOWN THE DRUGGED UP ISLAND NATIVES THAT A .38 DID NOT STOP! COLT .45! ONE BALL STOPS THEM ALL! (ONE EACH)

Feb 14, 2012

Previous poster is a moron. NEW
by: Anonymous

Try putting your "soul" into a cheap mall sword and see how long it lasts. The best wielder would go with the best quality. Save your 12 year old kung fu movie fantasies for the movies and comic books and don't give advice to REAL blade collectors.

Jan 31, 2012

With a Comment To Think On NEW
by: A Friendly Swordsman

Hummm it seems a bet to me like yall are looking at your swords and not the owner. A sword is only as good as the holder it may seem weird but there are many good swords over looked just because the person looking at it says its bad. When a 300 year old sword is stll around weater its rusted or not it is still there. What im saying is if you buy a Shinwa or some other better or worse it is the person using it that says if he lives or dies. Remeber that a sword was once a persons soul do not descrase those who die by them. Buy a sword make a sword that suites you learn to uses it and find out were your laking then improve. Also remeber to be carefull

Jan 22, 2012

Damascus Steel Zatoichi Katana NEW
by: Anonymous

I bought one of Shinwa's katanas, it was the Damascus Steel Zatoichi katana and at first it seemed really great. After looking it over a little bit, I noticed there were a couple of flaws in the blade, some grooves that looked like jagged cuts in the steel. Also, I oil the blade before I would put it back in it's sheath, and after I oil it, a lot of rust colored residue comes off, it happens each time. After I rub the blade down with oil and paper towel, the blade started to become discolored, originally it was black with red veins due to the Damacus style, but now it is yellow-ish with black veins. I don't know why it is doing that, maybe someone could help me. As far as the handle goes it is amazing, I haven't seen any sword with a better wrapped handle and also the Tsuba or hand guard is perfect.

Jan 17, 2012

my shinwa sword NEW
by: rick

i have one and i live it not just looks good it fill good to and looken to get a nother soon

Jan 03, 2012

Depends NEW
by: Anonymous

I love swords, Especially katana. I've owned many swords, including shinwa, now in my opinion shinwa doesn't get near as much recognition as it should, I mean an original master sword crafter may laugh it at, but they had secrets they were not telling anyone. In my experience shinwa stands up pretty well in comparison to my much more expensive pieces, actually I lean more towards shinwa because it doesn't cost near as much, yet seems not so different as say cold steel, which makes a pretty great sword. My favorite sword, a navy shinwa odachi, 60 inches of quality, I paid right around 80 bucks for it. And yes, I can put it right through a pig carcass. It was actually really cool, my friend is a butcher and he let me cut up some stuff with it.

Dec 30, 2011

It's the Indian not the arrow... NEW
by: Anonymous

see above.

Dec 30, 2011

Po-tatoes or Po-tattos NEW
by: Anonymous

I'm not a sword expert by any definition, but I will give you another example I've been involved with musical instruments(guitars) for over 50 years and where "professionals" will tell you they can feel and hear the difference in a $400.00 chinese knockoff of a $4500.00 American 335 style guitar. In fact if you set the two guitars up the same, with strings and amps and have the "professionals" play them blindfolded where they can not physically see only touch and play the instruments over 70% of the time they can not consisently tell you which unit they are playing. But they will "die" trying to convince
you that the American standard has some special nuiance that cannot be described but is only known to the "professional"--OH say it isn't so.
The point of any instrument is to perform whatever function it was made to do. Some clearly will do a job better than others, but if I were to blindfold you and give you several choices of which is the "best" and "worst" of the group you'd probably have no trouble choosing the worst, but from that level up it will depend on which nuances you consider most important. Clearly the true 2000 fold steel made several centuries ago has qualities that none of us understand or can duplicate--that's why a master made them and why you'll pay for a house and car before you could come close to their price. But in the real world none of us can afford these items for use so let's get real about the available, affordable choices. I'd love to see each "professional" list in order the brand, type and function of their 5 best and it possible list the purchase price in real dollars for each. Then at least we would have some substantive document(s) to discuss apples and oranges on.

Dec 11, 2011

I Love Swords & Knives NEW
by: Paul B.

As I read all the comments of all you fine ladys & gentelmen it is great, know this all swords even the swords that have no tang but just a threaded rod welded to the blade does have a place in sword collecting. Some have them for show and some to play with or work out with either way it is all good. When you buy a sword just decide what you are going to use it for then buy it. PS This is a great site and I do enjoy reading the comments.

Dec 11, 2011

lets get real NEW
by: realist

Ok people lets face facts. First of all the swords you buy through the catalogs are mass produced swords. These so called hand made battle ready katana's can be called such because it requires a person to move it from one machine to the next.

Like anything else that is produced anything can happen at any time.

I do not want to seem like I am attacking any one but there is a reason why the japanese keep some of their sword making techniques a secret.

As for the sensei that had a student injured. What kind of dojo are you running? Buddy you need to give up on teaching martial arts.

Your best bet is if you are going to buy a sword through a catalog or online like from BudK or SwordsSwords or any of the like is to wait until black friday when they are all on sale for less than $100 because that is all a machined sword is worth.

Let me ask you something. When was the last time that any of you had to survive by your sword? As far as I know it is illegal to even wear a sword in public in the U.S. and most other countries.

The swords soul is pounded in by the sweat and blood of the master sword crafter(MSC). Who doesn't use expensive machines to make a sword in one day. From beginning to end it may take a MSC a month to complete.

So you that prove you don't know any better leave the reviews up to those who do. (not that I am one that does) If you don't know what you are looking for then you should not even consider purchasing a sword.

Nov 25, 2011

unskilled snobs NEW
by: viking

i collect knive s swords an guns my choise blade is a bowie knife or viking axe . but love all weapons a true master of the arts of death can kill with a boken . i own a shinwa i am pleased with it for the price becasue it could still take a head. mashi killed his foe with a carved boat ore . if you dont no him do your research. its in your skill not how much you spend on your weapon s. like i tell my son when we shoot there s gun snobs out there cause that cant hit shit unless. they have a 500 buck gun with a lasser sight. it s the shooter not the gun. i didnt no there s so many sword snobs out there to. i have taken ss swords an done some good damage to a lot of things. it s your skill not the price tag.

Nov 25, 2011

Nov 14, 2011

Shinwa Swords NEW
by: Dragons DarK

I like so many could not pass up the chance to test on of the Shinwa swords. After buying it form Budk and paying $120.00 I was not surprised by the quality of the sword... lets face it they are cheep for a reason. The blade, despite being non traditional, it is a functional carbon steel blade. I ran it through the same test as Cold Steel and cut through whole pig carcass. As a true swordsman you must know what a sword is met for, cutting flesh and bone, not bottles and trees. You use axes for such things. After some controlled practices with my brother the Cold Steel Katana was unable to "break" The Shinwa Katana. However after half an hour of sword fighting both sword suffered from chipped edges, note that the Katana was not met for direct sword on sword they are met to cut flesh. The Shinwa was chipped more than the Cold Steel and the handle pieces needed refitting more so on the Shinwa. Another note: After any prolonged sword combat matinance is a must and such parts should be replaced/refitted to insure there is no critical failure in the next battle. The Shinwa is the poor mans Katana that can dismember as easily as the Cold Steel.

Nov 14, 2011

Shinwa/Hanwei/Cold Steel NEW
by: Justin

I owned the paul chen practical katana. I own the 88BKW cold steel warrior series katana. I own a "Damascus" shinwa katana.

Of the 3 the worst quality by FAR was the hanwei paul chen practical katana. After 1 year of use it broke. I examined where it broke and a rust line had formed all the way through the blade. I treated it like a virgin princess so that wasn't from me.

Cutting: Hanwei cut fine however it did break on a cut. Never needed resharpening before its demise.

Furniture and fittings: Crap, was having to rewrap it constantly.

Overall assessment of this sword as its owner a 2 out of 5.

My Cold Steel warrior series is an excellent blade. That having been said it has the WORST fittings of all 3 "battle ready" katana. It hasn't broken so it has that over the paul chen sword. Another drawback, this sword needs CONSTANT resharpening. Yes its tough and highly flexible as a consequence it doesn't hold an edge well in my opinion. I give this sword a 3 out of 5. Mainly for pure blade strength.

Cutting: Superb as long as its sharpened often. Can cut very heavy materials.

Furniture/fittings: I can't stress enough how poorly made cold steels handles are. My handle is cracked completely through on both sides and is being held together by the wrap.

Shinwa "Damascus" katana. Ok heres the thing I know this is going to sound like complete horse shit but oh well. The fittings are superb. This is the tightest most well wrapped handle I have ever held. Wobble? Not on your fucking life. Wish my cold steel could say that.

Cutting: Cutting potential in terms of sharpness and cleaving damage is = to the cold steel and greater then the paul chen. It retains an edge better then the cold steel. One serious serious problem tho and its something I can just tell from having used swords so heavily in cutting practice. I wouldn't want to strike a bone with this sword. I fear it is highly brittle.

Furniture/Fittings: Perfection, absolute fucking perfection. I've owned over 20 katanas. Taiwanese made shit all the way to Cold Steel. No sword I've ever owned has had fittings this nice. This blade isn't budging. I'll snap the blade before this handle falls apart that much I'm certain of.

Overall rating: 4 of 5

I've never held a 5 of 5.

So imo if you can find a "Tight" Shinwa "Damascus" Katana snatch it up. Just be sensible about it. Shake it make sure it isn't loose. Do not strike metal with it or trees or rocks ffs. The blade is clearly not made to be ultra "tough". Imo it aims more towards hardness/edge retention.

OH BTW: Battle Ready is a subjective term. In kenjutsu blades are not meant to be struck against one another. No Japanese sword was ever intentionally struck against another by a samurai who could avoid it. Dodging and counter cutting were often far better options then any sort of deflection.

Sep 17, 2011

Shinwa vs Cold Steel
by: Anonymous

I have seen several comments on here attempting comparison between Shinwa and Cold Steel which is ridiculous because Cold Steel katana are nowhere near the sub $100 price range? Cheness or Hanwei would be a more suitable comparison to Cold Steel katana. Cold Steel katana are designed for serious cutting and as far as I can tell the materials are not cheap and the making of the blade including the all important tempering process is done correctly! You can have two swords with one made out of say 1060 high carbon steel and the other made out of 1045 medium carbon steel which is an inferior grade of carbon steel compared to the 1060, but if the sword with the 1045 has a good heat treatment and the 1060 one does not,the 1045 sword will out cut the one made out of 1060! Anyway, Cold Steel is doing it right and there blades are excellent cutters as well as built to withstand the rigors of frequent use!

Sep 17, 2011

Shinwa Damascus
by: Anonymous

The term "Damascus" is overused today and in my thinking it is also used incorrectly. The blades which are being called "Damascus" are actually pattern welded steel and are not true "Damascus" or what is otherwise known as "wootz". The secret to "wootz" was lost, but thanks to our modern science and the existence of some antique genuine "wootz" blades of both Indian and Iranian origin, it has been rediscovered and there are now several smiths producing genuine "wootz" blades now, not pattern welded wannabes! Don't get me wrong, pattern welded blades are some of the most beautiful metallurgy I have laid eyes on with so many different patterns and metal combinations being created these days, they are a wonder to behold! These Shinwa blades are not true "Damascus" but are pattern welded blades, pretty to look at but, pattern welded nonetheless! As for their functionality it seems you get a mixed bag with some being quite good and others being shoddily constructed? My attitude with places who sell "economy" knives and swords like BudK and others is Caveat emptor (buyer beware), you generally get what you pay for! You can't expect $10,000 nihonto quality for $80 but, surprisingly there are more than a few choices out there as far as katana replicas go even in that price range! I have several Musashi swords as well as Cheness and Ryumon and I must say the quality of the blades I have bought in the lower price ranges, including actual cutting functionality on tatami omote is a pleasant surprise! I have yet to purchase a Shinwa blade, but several of my fellow swordsmen have and I have handled their Shinwa swords and if you get one which is 'tight' then they aren't that bad! The blade quality believe or not is actually the best part of the sword? While definitely not a true katana as I am familiar with the term, they seem to do well for what they are? I would be tempted to completely strip the furniture off keeping just the blade and putting my own customized version on though, if I ever were to buy one? If you want a true "Damascus" blade then find one and be ready to shell out some "Benjamins" cause you won't be finding one for $80 as they are all currently a custom made endeavor these days and I am pretty sure there will be a backlog as well so you may have to wait a bit before your "wootz" blade is delivered? I bid thee farewell!

Mar 23, 2011

Cutting blades
by: JMK Hapkido Kumdo

I have read a good number of comments here and find that a good number of people take these swords out and cut sundry items, from plastic bottles to tree branches to chicken wire.

People have remarked on the sharpness of the blades. Actual swords for combat were, contrary to popular belief, not razor sharp, as razor sharp blades are more prone to damage and chipping (so don't use them to cut Gatorade bottles and barstools). The cutting power of the sword comes from the technique of the wielder, not the sharpness of the blade.

Unless you are training in a sword art under the supervision of a qualified instructor, I recommend against such activity.

As for the swords themselves, I recenty purchassed a Shinwa 'Damascus' blade; a straight katana with a double fuller on each side. It is a nice piece and the handle seems put together fairly well. But the reality is that it is a sword costing less than three hundred dollars. I have a shinken, which cost thousands which I use for tameshigiri demonstrations.

The difference in materials is astounding, as is the difference in price. The Shinwa is a nice conversation piece and handles well, but I have no intention of cutting with it. My Shinwa is reasonably well made and about what I'd expect in a Chinese mass produced blade. I also suspect that quality control is less stringent than that of Bugei.

As for the 'Damascus' steel tag, that has become a buzz word for dark blades with a dramatic pattern. Some look better than others. The Shinwa looks better than some but not as good as others.

These swords are fine for what they are intended to be: cool conversation pieces. Kind of like things you'd get from the Franklin Mint, only far less costly.

Take it for what its worth.

Jan 14, 2011

Please no.
by: George Jacobson

The Shinwa brand sucks. The blades dent easily, shatter easily, and come loose easily. Please buy something different. Lower priced swords have better quality. Dont run the risk of injuring yourself or others.

Jan 01, 2011

shinwa nodachi
by: mako

hello i purchased a black nodachi from budk, the blade looks nice i own an authentic family katana so i can see the difference in quality,it dosent have the same feel as my katanas blade but it is razor sharp and i tested the blade by hacking apart chicken wire, tree branches, milk jugs and it tore through them with the same efficiency as a real one, the cruddy part is i cannot take the sword apart as they encase it in wood without a pin , i do not know the looseness issue that shinwas katanas have, but i can vouch for the sharp edge as mine show no wear or tear after many uses, i cannot vouch for the steel quality but as cheap katana you could do worse (ryan swords xD) i dont like how shinwa adds the numbers along the blade opposite side of the dragon (like the dragon looks neat)
so as a begining blade its ok

and for those who dont yet get it the damascas katanas ARE NOT REALLY DAMASCAS

they only look like it
the art of real damascus steel which was prized for its strength and flexibility is a lost art, some have gotten close to original style but its not a true damascus steel, im not teeling you your blades are worthless, they may be good for all i know, but the true damascus blades dont wear off, damascus steel is placing high carbon chunks into the melting process and folding process, this gives it the high carbon strength, as well as the flexible lower steel to it, some are brittle due to how the carbon is placed into the flexible steel while heating is occurring, but the others can be supremely strong, to the point of shattering or cutting opposing steel(this was why it was so prized) but do to war and plague the damascus steel makers of old died without passing the knowledge fully to their students, is a real tragedy to be sure

Dec 31, 2010

The Shinwa Quality
by: Hirikayi Musashi

I have recently done many of purchases of these Shinwa. My students very enjoyed the katanas. I did warned them to tell me if looseness occurred. One of my students is not listened, and used a loose blade. The blade flew off and did injured a another student of mine. I immediately did dismissed the neglegent student. Shinwa swords are not the best kind of the sword you may now buy.

Dec 09, 2010

Quality of Shinwa is pretty good IMO
by: JohnnyMac

I have a couple of the Shinwa Damascus blades and I am thrilled with them. I purchased my first sword for my son. It was a United katana with a hand forged carbon steel blade. Price was dirt cheap but it was his first sword and it was carbon steel and not Stainless garbage.

I then bought myself the Shinwa Blind Nodachi (Damascus steel) and was thoroughly impressed with the quality of craftsmanship and presentation.

My son and I like to take our blades out back and cut up all the recycling (filled with water) in the bin. Somehow my son's blade ended up with a dinged edge. We are guessing that it happened on a particularly hard Gatorade bottle near the neck. Very disappointing to find that plastic could cause such damage to the blade.

We do our cutting on an old stool made of hard maple. I must have dropped my shoulder or something on a particular swing and hit the top of the stool by accident and shaved a pretty deep but clean gouge out of the maple. If you know wood then you know that butcher block rock maple is one of the hardest woods there is. I checked the blade of the Shinwa and there was not a nick or sign of any damage whatsoever. If I have any regrets about the blade it's that it has a black finish to it that in time wears away. The steel itself is still flawless and the edge is still as sharp as any pocket knife I've ever owned.

Since then I have purchased a Shinwa Damascus double-edged "Katana" (straight blade like a Ninjato) for my son for Christmas and it is like a true work of art. I've never seen a more beautiful blade and can't wait for Christmas to give it to him. For my future step-son and myself I purchased a couple Shinwa Katanas in Damascus and am extremely pleased at the quality of these weapons.

I plan on getting into metal working and becoming a blade smith to give myself something to play with if I ever retire. I will replace the tsuba and the furniture one day to make them truly my own. While I can't speak for the regular forged carbon blades, I can tell you that if you haven't tried Shinwa's damascus blades you owe it to yourself to try one out.

Nov 17, 2010

Beware the quality of Shinwa blades
by: G. S. T.

I recently purchased and received to Shinwa katanas. I am returning both. I noticed one needed some slight amount of sharpening and shortening of the pegs securing the handle. The pegs protruded at least an 1/8 of an inch out of the handle on one side.
Prior to sharpening the blade I ran a cotton cloth down the length to clean some of the excess material (a greasy, wax like substance) that was on the blade when I received it. The cloth snagged near the habaki. Upon closer examination I noted the blade looked cracked. I used some 600 grit sand paper to remove the black finish to get a better look. To my dismay I found the blade to be fractured completely through for approximately 30% of its width.
I will never purchase a Shinwa blade again. This fracture had to be readily noticeable to the human eye prior to the addition of the black finish. Any sword manufactured that would ship a blade in this condition is not to be trusted.
I did not pay much for the katanas and did not expect a top quality blade. But, I did not expect an obviously faulty blade and one that would be a danger to use for any type of cutting practice.

Aug 24, 2010

Shinwa was worth every penny.
by: Dr. Venture

I purchased the $289.99 Damascus Shinwa katana w/ bo-hi aka "blood groove" from budk and i love it. has not one flaw with the exception of use and overtime of cleaning the Fuchi or "collar" has become loosened. But that with any sword that is being used time and time again. I actually practice cutting down the bushes and trees in my yard when its time to do the yardwork.
(neighbors stay liking me..LOL) I also purchased the blind mans Nodachi from Shinwa with the same quality. Blade is still as sharp as ever and i've had not one issue with both of them cutting anything in the norm. (mostly wood) So all in all i'd purchase a Shinwa again when the time comes.

Aug 23, 2010

Shinwa
by: Anonymous

I have, as many of you have noted, that the Shinwa Swords are a definite step up from the ss crap. For the price they are not too bad. In the lower price ranges and in Mushashi swords, the tsuba is often cast "pot metal" the ray/sharkskin wraps are not full wraps. the Blades seem of. But those with mixed metal tsubas that you do not inted to rebuild---the tsubas will shatter quite easily. I have done sone light cutting (milk bottles, can, sorter wood and the are ok and not dangerous, at least. sometime the fittings are loose. that about covers it

Aug 23, 2010

Aug 18, 2010

Everyting is in the details
by: Anonymous

Shinwa has an elegant look, at first. The blade holds its edge well enough and the balance is good. The attention to authenitc detail is poor and the blade shape is by no means traditional, the actual construction of the individual parts is acceptable for the price range, but the assembly of the tsukamaki is loose and done without attention to safety giving the impression of a cheap "knockoff". Overall, this is a moderately good quality blade housed in tourist souvenir fittings. Many items available for the same price are as good or better, but going up only 50-100 bucks puts you in a different league.

Aug 18, 2010

May 28, 2010

well
by: inksoul

shinwa has a lot to offer and can be found in budk but i think it deserves better .... the quality though is overall nice,but the only reason id get a shinwa is for damascus and i have ...their damascus is pretty much the best i know this because i have a damascus nodachi ...but i think that cold steel has quality just as good ........ but if i were you id stick with making my own blades cause if you know how ...theyre the most reliable

May 28, 2010

May 15, 2010

Shinwa Swords
by: Anonymous

I own two Shinwa swords. They are both still razor sharpe after months of cutting pratice. I'm no expert on swords, but for the money they are good blades. In general bud k does sell a lot of junk so buyer beware. But for the first time sword buyer getting into real swords you could do alot worse.

Apr 28, 2010

the good and bad of shinwa
by: Tom K.

Ok,a buddy of mine has a shinwa ninjato his wife bought for him as a present.

this is the only shinwa sword I have cut with but a local store (where I used to live a year ago) carried several Shinwa swords at any time and I was often allowed to handle them (never to cut).

the steel shinwa uses for their blades seems to be of decent quality, even the folded ones (it ISN'T damascus no matter what anybody says)

most of them have decent edges.

many of them are rather attractive at a glance (but much less so if you look closer or are the sort of guy who has an eye for authentic detail). if you are a casual collector, a movie fan, or something else other than a serious nihontophile they should be pleasing to your eye. if you are a serious nihontophile then you don't need me to tell you about shinwa.

where Shinwa really falls down is the fittings. many people may say to this "so what, all I care about it having a good blade" I say to you people: that is a foolish idea. the itomaki (wrappings on the handle) on every single Shinwa I have seen has been horribly done and very loose. so loose my buddy stripped it all of the handle on the first swing and almost lost his grip on it when that happened. this is pretty dangerous: swords flying through the air and all that. the fit of the handle to the tang is off and on with this company judging by the dozen or so different swords I have seen. some fit nice and snug, but others actually wobble in the grip. this is also dangerous as the wobbling will create stress and may cause the handle to fail allowing the blade to fly out. dangerous!

ok so we see some problems but there is one last nail in Shinwa's coffin: price. they can often be had in the $90 - $200 range and while that is not an insulting price there are simply better options. if you want a katana/japanese sword in that price range I reccomend Musashi. sometimes, especially at conventions and such, you will get unreputable dealers that sell these things like they are works of art or something and jack the price through the roof. sadly, this is the story of my buddy and his wife. she bought him a shinwa sword at an anime convention without telling him before hand and before I could warn her not to. she paid over $600 for that sword that wasn't up to the $150 price range quality standard. it made me sad and angry that a friend of mine got ripped off so badly. and if you thin over $600 for ANY shinwa isn't robbery then I doubt very much you have any idea what you're talking about.

Apr 15, 2010

Quality of Shinwa swords?
by: Robert K

A few months ago I purchased A shinwa black knight hi carbon katana from Bud-k for about$80.00 pretty decent sword for the mony.The hi carbon of the Black knight line was gona be discontinued.Thier fully functional and for the money pretty decent for light cuting.The Habaki came a little lose, it has some play,but for the price eh? What ya expect

Apr 08, 2010

Hold the brakes
by: Anonymous

Before conclusions are jumped to, let's just remember that this particular article might be outdated. Even a span of five years is sufficient enough for a company to have changed their practices significantly, which it seems Shinwa has.

The fact of the matter is, most responses to this article have shown that owners of today's Shinwa blades find them to be functional and durable at competitive prices. It's entirely possible that Shinwa and BudK used to be disreputable merchants (or might still be), which is where the OPINION of this article comes up, but they aren't as bad today as they had been in the past.

Apr 07, 2010

Trustworthy?
by: Jason

The Shinwa meets every criteria this website sets for a "good practical" sword, yet they are not reveiwed at all. They are dismissed as "not worth looking at" simply because they are sold at BudK? That makes me seriously doubt any information given on this site. (Especially since the Shinwa are sold at several of the "recommended" dealers!)
I own both the Hanwei Ninja-to and the Shinwa BlackKnight in damascus steel. The Shinwa is made from the same carbon steel and it is folded over 2,000 times. It is just is sharp and probably a bit more functional than the Hanwei! Actually research without bias or don't talk about it at all.

Mar 18, 2010

Shinwa Swords
by: Anonymous

As with any sword, our feelings and opinions regarding them is personal..I have purchased swords that range from the Black Prince ( Knight's sword ) to movie replicas for the sake of owning them..One sword I use on a regular basis is the ROYAL WARRIOR DAMASCUS KATANA by Shinwa..I have to say that this is truely a fantastic sword..I have put it to the test from sword play to slicing through brush..The blade remains sharp and the full tang construction remains intact..I would reccomend this sword to anyone who is looking for a functional sword for the price..

Mar 04, 2010

$15 BudK naginata
by: Anonymous

Seems I missed out on that sale. Thanks for the lead though.

I'd like to find a sub-100 carbon-steel naginata, but I can never find one that's appropriately sized for me other than Hanwei's, which is why the Shinwa 'naginata' was attractive; it's not a naginata so I wouldn't want to scream at it for being too short, but it seemed large enough to handle similarly, although it's substantially heavier. And at least it's one spolid piece; seeing a naginata that unscrews makes me physically ill. Maybe I could find a way to lengthen the shaft on one of the 63-inchers?

Mar 02, 2010

Closer exam of Shinwa Naginata Sword
by: kobodaichi52

I brought out my Shinwa "naginata sword" today just to compare it to my standard naginatas. I'm afraid I may have exaggerated about the weight. On closer examination I would say it is twice the weight of the regular ones. this is still pretty hefty. I get the feeling that a naginata is what you really want, and not a katana. If this is so, I wanted to let you know that BudK has a pretty decent one for just $15. At that price you could have the Musashi "Warrior" sword and the standard naginata for about a hundred dollars.

Feb 28, 2010

"Shinwa Naginata" handling
by: kobodaichi52

In response to the question about handling, I can tell you that I own a bunch of swords{both forged and stainless wall-hangers}, as well as two standard naginatas, and the handling of Shinwa's "Naginata Warrior Sword" is unlike anything I've ever handled, except maybe a Chinese Pudao. I use it in kata like a katana just to build up my strength. After handling this beast, my regular katanas feel like Bowie knives. It is really too heavy for anything other than berserkers bent on destruction. It weighs about as much as 3 naginatas, but on the plus side it only costs 50 bucks. If you can only afford one sword(under $100), I would really check out the Musashi "Warrior.

Feb 28, 2010

RE: Shinwa 'Naginata'
by: Anonymous

Would you say it handles more like a naginata, as it's described, or like a regular sword, then? I've got experience in both weapons

Feb 28, 2010

Shinwa "Naginata"
by: kobodaichi52

This is in answer to the question about the Shinwa Naginata Sword. If you are talking about the item I think you are, then I can tell you that I have one, and unless you are an experienced swordsman, it might not be the right choice for you, especially if this is going to be your only sword for the time being. The "Naginata Warrior Sword" is a hugh, heavy, ungainly weapon, which is indeed made of high carbon, tempered steel; however it is so big and heavy that it cannot be used like a regular katana. This type of weapon was originally used on the battlefield to cut down a charging horse prior to dispatching the rider. It is a monster! If you are looking for a good differentially tempered katana for under $100, then take a look at Paul Southren's review of the new Musashi "Warrior" series in the February issue of "Sword Buyer"s Digest". I purchased the one with the Musashi style tsuba. They also come in the "Bamboo" style which is very attractive. I only paid $75 and I am quite pleased. The sword has a real hamon, and is capable of light to medium cutting. Of course Paul did a destruction test (you got to love this guy; he destroys swords so that we won't have to). It is a bargain,and I highly recommed it.

Feb 28, 2010

Unidentified shinwa pudao/dadao?
by: Anonymous

Hey-o, I'm a near-broke first-time sword buyer. I've been looking for a cheap, battle-ready sword (read: sub-100) that won't kill me if used on something harder than paper. While looking through true swords, I found this (absolutely mis-identified) 'naginata' in their featured full tang section. Extensive net searching and follow-up searches of the forum here identify the manufacturer as Shinwa, who is uncredited on true swords. The reviews I've found of it claim it's pretty resilient, though on the dull-side for sharpness out of the box. Should I risk the buy?

Feb 17, 2010

damascus
by: Sluggo

I got one of the Shinwa damascus blade swords,cuts like a dream,don't know what it would do against another blade,don't care,
If it comes out of the scabbard in a pinch,it need not be a master quality weapon to hack off some would be assailant's arm.

Jan 31, 2010

I mean...for the price...
by: *1-03

I got one of the Katana models. I am not a master or anything, but have a background in Japanese sword arts.

The Shinwa swords for the price are great USING swords. Yes, the "furniture" can start becoming loose at times, but in terms of the blade and it's cutting ability, what these swords are normally priced are well worth it IMHO. I have practiced live cutting many times with my Shinwa katana AND wakizashi, and they are still "alive and kicking"...er, cutting I should say. Besides:

IF I ever break one of these things due to improper cutting technique on MY part, it's great knowing that I can get another Shinwa without breaking the bank. I have tried Cold Steel ones, but heck for their MSRP, I'd rather get a gun...

Bottom line: Shinwa swords surprised me, and don't let the relatively cheap prices fool you...

Dec 11, 2009

Nice
by: Anonymous

I recently received A Shinwa katana as a present. I love it. The blade is strong(if a little bit on the inflexible side.) I've been a martial artist since I was a child and I like my blades. I train with everything, shitty or nice, because in a combat situation these techniques would be used with something else: Stick, baseball bat, pipe, poolstick, and different blades have varying balance points like "real-time" objects." I even broke 1 inch thick boards with a 1 foot pine dowel as a focusing practice. I like the balance of the sword. And, what the hell, because they used a mekugi-nuki design, all the furniture is replaceable, and this becomes custimizable like a PC. I'm looking now for an inspirational tsuba. The blade is sharper than any of my wife's expensive cooking blades, and that's plenty good enough for a blade that will never see "real" combat.

Dec 10, 2009

Shinwa swords.
by: Anonymous

Shadoe's coment answers all my question,He speaks the truth.An expensive blade in the hands of a fool is foolish.....Robert ..Chippewafalls Wisconsin

Aug 30, 2009

Shinwa; good blade, lousy tsubas.
by: Kym F.

I bought a Shinwa 1060 steel sword from BudK, and I have used it for some rough cutting out in the woods.It cuts surprisingly well. The blade is strong, and well tempered. My only complaint is the furniture. All of their swords seem to have cheap, zink alloy tsubas,WHICH BREAK! Would it kill them to make a decent guard for a decent blade.A cheap steel guard would be acceptable. It's a pity.

Aug 27, 2009

i am pleased
by: Anonymous

I am an avid practitioner of the japanese arts, and have been training with a katana since i was 6 years old (father = instructor). i purchased a shinwa blade several years ago, and have used, and abused it on a constant basis. I have been quite pleased with it, the blade is strong, and well tempered, the mountings are solid, and traditional, the tang is in the kiri-ichi-monji tradition, and very sturdy. it cut well right out of the box, and has continued to cut well with minimal time spent sharpening. the blade is now severely scratched, but still very functional, and i am in the process of polishing it. having used swords ranging in price from $5, to $6,000, and ranging in age from brand new, to Edo period, i have to say, that shinwa makes a nice blade that is comprable to the traditional ones of old.

are there better? yes! cold steel is still my favorite, but shinwa blades are far more economically favorable, and will cut anything which the katana was desined to cut. cold steel may cut through a car door, but ive yet to encounter a situation where that is necessary.

in short.... shinwa gets my approval. its my sword of choice, the sword i use for cutting practice, and the sword i recomend to my students(and my students will tell ya, i'm a b!%@# when it comes to my blades.... only the best!).

Aug 27, 2009

Aug 21, 2009

nice
by: Gorg

i don't know about you guys.. swords are sick.. but ill get a katana that ill carry on my back, under my arabic atire, head and face covered, with a scimitar on my side, traveling across arabia, to the Holy Land, horse or camel-i have yet to decided. --- now tell me that's not a fucking adventure, and im gonna do it i swear.
so what do you guys recommend about craftsmanship? 1090+ tempered carbon steel i hear? were can i buy a scimitar with the same strength?

Jul 29, 2009

hate to break it to you
by: johnny

COLD STEEL IS OVER RATED yeah i said it i did i side by side test of a cold steel sword that cost bout 400 and a shinwa that cost bout 160 and the shinwa cut far better now before i get hate mail i will say that the cold steel is a fine sword but not as bad ass as people say

Jul 25, 2009

shinwa- good
by: duzell

yes i bought one of those shinwa from bud k and i have to say its sword deign carries no flaws against one of my traditional swords, edged right and nicely polished, scabbard is hard wood and the sword can pretty much withstand any sword to sword combat so i give it a good rating - the swords offer a high quality at a low cost and with so many fakes out there its better than nothing for those beginning at sword collecting and price for those who are debating if shinwa 90$ vs a 25000$ sword can shove off, i struck my shinwa 1060 with an old japanese hand forged sword in maintained battle ready condition (folded 5000 times)and neither blade had much to show from a full over head strike so as quality goes shinwa has superbly come neck and neck with the master swords out there

-then i had both swords polished - waxed -oiled and put back on display-

Jul 03, 2009

Bud K
by: Anonymous

I hate to break it to everyone but Cold Steel is sold in BudK as well. They even at one point, 5 years ago, carried Hanwei.

Apr 23, 2009

Its good
by: Addemis

I have 1 its a good sword to start out with.

Apr 09, 2009

See for yourself before your forge your opinion
by: Geo

I own a Cold Steel katana and a few Shinwa katanas. Let me just start off by saying that I agree that you can feel the difference between a cold steel and a Shinwa Katana. The cold steel feels like a light saber that will cut anything at the slightest touch, whereas the Shinwa has a more personal traditional feel. Shinwa is more to the point, so to speak. Shinwa focuses quality where it is due, in the blade and construct of the sword and not in making it look overly extravagant. I look at Shinwa as a jump down on the ladder from Cold Steel, but in a way that makes the sword more affordable without compromising the quality too much. I took my 1060 high carbon steel Shinwa katana outside for a few swings to test it's cutting ability. It hacks through melons and pumpkins like butter, as even a decent stainless steel swords should do. I hit a hard half-alive half-dead tree branch without much swinging room and made a nice cut in the branch. I didn't sever it, but the branch gave me the idea of how the sword would hit something hard. The branch's living dead status made it hard and yet flexible, so cutting it is difficult. I checked the edge of the sword and aside from a couple of scuff marks the edge was undisturbed. I think they are worthy swords considering how many crappy swords are out there for a similar price. Bud K has a lot of cheap low quality stuff, but knowing what to look for from them is the way to go since they do have decent prices occasionally. They do also sell Cold Steel products for good prices. I got my Cold Steel Warrior Katana from them for $250! I wish I bought 2 because I think they realized that they were undercharging for the sword, because a couple days later I checked the price and it went up to $360! The Shinwa swords used to be $179. When they went down to $80 I became interested, and became more interested when I actually got one. Quality is important to me especially since I gave them to friends as gifts. I will let you know if one breaks on me. I don't plan on doing major abuse tests that Cold Steel does, but I plan on pushing the envelope on mine to see what it can do, so far I have yet to be disappointed.

Apr 05, 2009

The quality of Shinwa Blades
by: Anonymous

To all of you out there who are quote-unquote EXPERTS, on Blades, Swords, ect. Remember this, a True Kenjitsu Master can hold in his hands an $80.00 sword and one of you EXPERTS can hold a $25,000 blade, in the dance of death who would win? End of this silly debate!!!!

Shadoe
in Seattle, Washington

Mar 11, 2009

hmmm...
by: Blade Maid

It makes me wonder if people don't give a sword a second look just because its in a BudK catalog. Which is pretty said if its the truth. If you are looking for a pretty looking collection sword, you can choose one of their "Damascus" katanas and you'll do alright. Obviously there are better more functional katanas out there around this price, Musashi being an example, i wouldn't just brush Shinwa aside just because they sell through BudK. That's just pretty snobby and juvenile. If you want to find out what the quality of Shinwa swords are for yourself, spring the 90-100 bucks and buy one. buy a pretty looking one, so that just in case you're disappointed, it will still look nice on display. "They're not worth a second look" is a little silly. They're on every other page of the budk catalog, so its kinda hard to miss them. theres my two sense. Cheers to all, and thank you Paul of your wonderful site!

Blade Maid
www.blademaid.com

Feb 24, 2009

from someone that makes blades for fighting
by: Anonymous

wow people really don't like Shinwa huh...well I picked up a heat forged folded blade that people call Damascus and sometimes I do as well...but its not...to the point I use my blades for my Escrima and Wing Tzun Chun MMA training I have made and used many types of steel from a mild steel to the extreme high carbon top five "Rockwell Hardness Chart" steels like I donno...1090 was fun but my first try I crystallized it lol...My blade broke in contest...sucked...but I digress...the Shinwa is not the best I understand this but to get the best you would pay around $10,000 or more easy...if you have it great I don't so I mak'em and yeah I gota Shinwa or two they do the job. So I guess what I am saying is quit complaining If you don't like them fine but keep your mouth shut...that’s someone’s work and time that went into that blade...show respect to all blades cept for the shitty wall hangers that a machined out of a press…I have cut through to many of those to have any respect for them and the cost Ohh My god… anyway hoped my little rant helped some people later.

Feb 19, 2009

sinwa damascus quality?
by: new guy

after reading the comments here am I to think that the shinwa damascus blade is an exeception?

Dec 01, 2008

RE 'Not as bad as you think, smart guy'
by: SlayerofDarkness

Ok...first off, whether or not you are correct (which by popular opinion of REAL experts, you are most certainly NOT!) you have no right to insult Paul as you did. Now, you may have received a rare 'gem in the junk', as they say, but, generally speaking, Shinwa are worthless compared to other swords in the sub $100 price range. Cold Steel is far better, and someone who actually sold Cold Steel products would know that. I apoligize if this is offensive to you, but please recognize that I'm not just spouting off; my comments have a good deal of validity. Thanks to Paul for such a great site, and thanks to anyone reading this for, well, reading this.
Hope this helps,
SlayerofDarkness (Brogdon Combs)

Nov 08, 2008

cold steel
by: Anonymous

shinwa is no conparison to cold steel, if you are a cold steel dealer as mentioned and have handled both swords you would know that.

Jul 10, 2008

Quality v. Need
by: Ratt

One of the biggest modifiers to this question would be: what are you going to use it for?

Most of the Katana's I personaly sell (out of a booth at the Renn Fest) are to look preety... and yes, many of the Shinwa Swords look nice. But for fancy there are cheep 440ss swords that do a better job of it.

Many people want to use them in martial arts, and Shinwa swords (excepting damascus) are good for this use, for a while, they will eventualy crack if you're using them for cutting.

For collections, the damascus are alright, and if you can get one for less than $250.00 then it's an alright deal.

For a real, quality, katana you could easily do worse, for a worse price, but Shinwa is deffinitly not in the top ten.

Apr 06, 2008

Shinwa katanas
by: Antiposer

i own a $3000 Katana it the real deal and i just got one of the $80 Shinwa Katanas just to see how they are and let me tell you its a great sword so i would say if the $80 is great the others must be even better...

Mar 05, 2008

well then
by: the don

I disagree Scott, considering the response you got, "they really aren't worth a second look", doesn't give you much to go on. I own the a damascus one along with other swords that range from this swords price to a masterpiece that was made to my personally requested specs. Bottom line, for a high output, hand-made sword, its construction is solid and it's blade is quality, in terms of beautiful lines and cutting ability.

Feb 21, 2008

Not as bad as you think smart guy!
by: Anonymous

I just got one of the carbon steel katanas for the dealer price. They are retailing now at around $90. I am a Cold Steel dealer and have bought their katanas. The bud k Shinwa sword is a total steal at $90. I mean it will do the job. Not quite as fancy as the cold steel but fully functional to say the least!

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